Antibiotics and PA

[CW12]

Has anyone had an experience where antibodies causes symptoms to resurface . I asked a similar question in my last post but wanted to ask the question directly. Thank you

[pvanderaa]

Antibiotics can kill off all the bacteria in the gut. This usually results in thrush or yeast infections because the good bacteria are not killing those off.

Upsetting the gut biome (sp?) can cause all sorts of symptoms.

Probiotics are supposed to restore the good bacteria to the gut. But it takes a while for them to get reestablished.

Worst case - a fecal transplant is used to restore the gut biome.

Basically, you don’t want to live so sterile a lifestyle that you don’t allow your microscopic partners in the biosphere to support you.

Viruses are a completely different story.

[CW12 in reply to pvanderaa]

So you are saying that the symptoms could be related?

Thank you

[pvanderaa in reply to CW12]

What symptoms? Brain fog. Tiredness. Probably.

Are you gluten and dairy free?

[CW12 in reply to pvanderaa]

Weakness in arms legs

[Foggyme Administrator]

Hi CW12. Apologies but I have to be brief, so...(and referring, in part to your previous post)...

You say that the increased symptoms (including weakness in arms and legs) started when you commenced antibiotics, so...a number of potential causes...

1) any infection can cause weakness as a general symptom and also make you feel very unwell. Increased symptoms may be 'general symptoms' often experienced with infection.

2) all drugs (even antibiotics) have side effects. Check the patient information leaflet that came with your drugs - that will list possible side effects (if you have no leaflet, you can search for 'PIL [insert name of antibiotic] on the Internet. You may be experiencing side effects (often common) of whatever antibiotics you are on. If your symptoms become more widespread or become more severe and you suspect side effects or worsening of infection, your GP can reassess and may change your medications for you.

Also worth considering - your previous post states that folate levels are above the reference range (too high to measure accurately). If you are supplementing with folic acid or methylfolate, suggest you stop. Over supplementation can cause side effects, and those side effects are the same as the symptoms of folate deficiency, and very similar to B12 deficiency symptoms. So...possible that your symptoms may be due to over supplementation of folic acid. If not supplementing, high levels may be due to folate rich diet, in which case, probably no problem. If neither apply, your GP may want to investigate why your folate levels are so high.

Worth noting that research shows that long-term over-supplementation with any form of folate can potentially cause irreversible neurological damage.

Whilst it's true that antibiotics can affect the gut biome, this would not happen and cause symptoms almost simultaneously with infection/treatment with antibiotics, so this is unlikely to be the cause of the coterminous appearance of symptoms. (Taking a good probiotic or fermented foods can help gut biome following a course of antibiotics- as other have said elsewhere).

About the possibility of MS - if your scan was recent and negative (which I think it was), it's highly unlikely that MS would suddenly be present....and there would be other neurological signs (other than symptoms) for your GP and neurologist to find on clinical examination....which presumably, they have not. So try not to worry too much about that. But if this continues and does not resolve with more frequent B12 injections (see below), the seeing a neurologist again would be a good idea.

Has your GP considered that the continued neurological symptoms may be due to under-treatment of your B12 deficiency? The treatment for those with neurological symptoms is every other day injections until symptoms stop improving....sometimes for many months. Your GP can look this intensive trewtment regime up in something called the BNF - prescribing guidelines for GP's - third or fourth paragraph down, copy,on their desk - your GP may not have heard of this because not many read that far! (Excuse me if you already know this - no time to check previous posts). And not many GP's are aware of the neurological havoc that B12 deficiency can wreak on the body.

Good luck. Hope you find some answers. Sorry you’re feeling so bad and hope things improve soon.

P.s. had to rush through this so no time to check for dodgy auto-corrects or typos...

[CW12 in reply to Foggyme]

This was just the post I needed! Thank you. So glad I joined this group. Impressed by the informed answers ... and so absolutely greatful

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to CW12]

👍 x

[Llawry]

I was on antibiotics and my symptoms returned. Turns out certain types of antibiotics deplete b12. It will be listed in the side effects.

I will go check which type I was given and get back to you.

Always good to ask. I was wondering for days and someone here replied within minutes. It was a relief to know what was causing it.

[CW12 in reply to Llawry]

Thank you!!!! This makes sense